Ark Byron Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now.

The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

The principal of the school is Daniela Grasso. This school is part of Ark Schools, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lucy Heller, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sir Paul Marshall.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a h...appy and harmonious school. Pupils and staff are proud to be part of the school community.

Pupils feel safe and work hard. Staff support all pupils well. The schools' ethos inspires pupils to be ambitious.

Pupils enjoy their learning and benefit from a wide range of opportunities. Parents and carers are very positive about the education their children receive.

Pupils behave very well.

They are respectful and kind and respond positively to the high expectations the school sets. In lessons, pupils are actively focused on their learning. The school ensures that pupils achieve highly, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Teachers deliver learning skilfully because they plan and adapt learning carefully. This helps pupils to develop their knowledge and skills across the curriculum. Pupils develop into confident learners.

The school is committed to delivering high-quality pupil experiences. Pupils enjoy an extensive variety of clubs and trips. Pupils are taught about the importance of being healthy and active, alongside how to keep themselves safe.

The school encourages all pupils to be responsible citizens through leadership opportunities and buddying schemes.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils achieve highly across the curriculum, including pupils with SEND and those pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding. This is because the curriculum is meticulously planned and carefully adapted.

The school is explicit about what pupils must know, remember and be able to do. This begins in the early years, where staff nurture positive interactions and the development of children's language and communication. Learning is carefully sequenced and linked across the curriculum.

This helps pupils to be highly secure in subject-specific knowledge and skills. As a result, pupils access more complex concepts and make connections across their learning with confidence. For example, in mathematics, pupils learn how to analyse data in a range of ways which helps pupils interpret information in science and geography.

Teachers' subject knowledge is a strength because the school and the trust prioritise subject leadership and staff development. Teachers think carefully about how pupils learn best. They use resources that support and challenge pupils in their learning.

For example, in history, pupils in Year 6 analysed news articles when studying bias in the Second World War. Staff developed pupils' wider understanding through a visit to the RAF Museum. This helps pupils to deepen their understanding of the subject content they are taught.

Lessons are carefully designed and adapted so that pupils recall and use important knowledge. Teachers check pupils' understanding continuously and effectively. For example, skilful questioning helps to identify any misconceptions so that these are addressed quickly.

The school places a sharp focus on the teaching of early reading. This begins highly effectively in the early years. The teaching of phonics is led by experts within the school and from the trust.

Over time, pupils are well supported to become fluent readers. This includes pupils who join the school at different times of the year and pupils who require additional support to catch up. The well-resourced library provides pupils with a rich range of challenging texts that support learning across the curriculum.

Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. Working relationships are strong because the school nurtures pupils to be kind and respectful. This motivates pupils to attend school regularly.

The school works closely with families where attendance does not meet the high expectations set. Governors know the school well and support leaders to be ambitious for all.

The school is highly ambitious in nurturing pupils' wider development.

Pupils are taught how to be safe online, to be healthy and to travel safely. Pupils enjoy events that celebrate diversity. All pupils access a range of experiences that include opportunities to explore their own well-being, the arts, active citizenship and enterprise.

There are many curriculum-based outings and clubs that pupils enjoy such as skateboarding and coding.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2018.